Appendix D – Wild and Scenic Rivers Assessment Of
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APPENDIX D – WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ASSESSMENT OF OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES Middle Fork of the Salmon River Resource Assessment December 15, 2000 INTRODUCTION The Middle Fork of the Salmon River (Middle Fork River) was designated as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers (W&SR) System through the W&SR Act in 1968. Approximately 103 miles of the Middle Fork were designated as a wild and scenic river from its origin (at the confluence of Bear Valley and Marsh Creeks) to its confluence with the Salmon River. The entire designated river is classified as wild (free of impoundments and generally inaccessible except by trail, with watersheds or shorelines essentially primitive and waters unpolluted). The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is located on the Salmon-Challis National Forest; Challis and Salmon, Idaho are the closest towns. The designated river is a part of the Frank Church- River of No Return Wilderness (FC–RONR). The mainstem is a sixth-order tributary to the Salmon River entering the Salmon River approximately 39 miles west of North Fork, Idaho. RESOURCE ASSESSMENT The Middle Fork of the Salmon River was designated in 1968 absent a wild and scenic river study. The River Plan for the Middle Fork Salmon W&SR, September 1969, identified and described the values which caused the Middle Fork to be designated. These values were mentioned again, although somewhat superficially, in the 1985 version of the River Management Plan. The "resource assessment" process developed in the Pacific Northwest Region is being used here to confirm and better document whether or not specific resources are outstandingly remarkable. The criteria used in the Middle Fork of the Salmon River assessment are as modified in a technical paper developed by the Interagency W&SR Coordinating Council (12/99). In order to be assessed as outstanding, a river-related value must be judged unique, rare or exemplary at a regional or national level. The region of comparison for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is generally the northern Rockies. Neither the W&SR Act nor its legislative history provides a definitive statement of the values Congress intended to protect by designating the Middle Fork of the Salmon as a wild and scenic river. Section 1(b) of the W&SR Act provides a list of resources that may be determined ORV’s on a particular river. Each of the resources mentioned in Section 1(b) and other resources have been evaluated in this assessment to determine the ORV’s of the Middle Fork. The resource assessment for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is based on available literature (refer to "Literature Reviewed" section) and consultation with subject matter experts on the Salmon-Challis National Forest (refer to "Consultants" section). The following text describes the criteria against which the present situation was evaluated, an evaluation of the present situation, and concludes with a finding. D-2 APPENDIX D – WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ASSESSMENT OF OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES SCENERY Criteria for Outstandingly Remarkable Value The landscape elements of landform, vegetation, water, color and related factors result in notable or exemplary visual features and/or attractions. When analyzing scenic values, additional factors such as seasonal variations in vegetation, scale of cultural modifications, and the length of time negative intrusions are viewed may be considered. Scenery and visual attractions may be highly diverse over the majority of the river or river segment. Evaluation of the Present Situation The Middle Fork River corridor is classified as variety class A indicating it contains distinctive visual features. The riverine setting is generally natural in appearance with human activity, i.e., private land development, historic mining and recreation use, having relatively little impact to scenic character. The lower 30 miles of the mainstem are the most scenically diverse with views of the canyon's interesting rock outcrops and the river's pools, cascades and clear water. From the river, there are distant views of forested peaks and ridges, while the foreground and middleground views are of forested slopes, interesting rock outcrops and highly diverse riparian vegetation. The user's focus is usually on the river; its fast-moving water through rapids and still water pools in between. The river's gradient is steep; elevations range from approximately 6160 feet at the origin of the mainstem to 3010 feet at the confluence with the Salmon River. This elevational range contributes to considerable vegetative diversity. Lower elevations support ponderosa pine and Douglas fir transitioning to Engelman spruce, lodgepole pine and subalpine fir at higher elevations. Particularly at upper elevations, forest stands are mature and overmature with numerous snags and down wood in the foreground. The riparian zone is 80-100 percent occupied by shrub vegetation. The river's gradient also contributes to diversity of interaction of water and watercourse. Many portions of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River flows through pools and cascade/riffle complexes that draw the observer's focus to the river. Veil Falls and Waterfall Creek provide outstanding visual features in the lower canyon. Finding The change in elevation and topography over this river system results in highly diverse scenery and visual attractions. The steep gradient and narrow canyon focus the viewer's perspective on the water's interaction with its watercourse and riparian vegetation, with past human activities noticed only occasionally, if at all. The scenery of the Middle Fork River is found to be outstandingly remarkable. D-3 APPENDIX D – WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ASSESSMENT OF OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES RECREATION Criteria for Outstandingly Remarkable Value Recreational opportunities are, or have the potential to be, popular enough to attract visitors from throughout or beyond the region of comparison, or are rare, unusual, or unique to the region. Visitors are willing to travel long distances to use the river resources for recreational purposes. River-related opportunities could include, but are not limited to, sightseeing, wildlife observation, camping, photography, hiking, fishing, hunting and boating/rafting. • Interpretive opportunities may be exceptional and attract or have the potential to attract visitors from outside the region of comparison. • The river may provide or have the potential to provide settings for national or regional usage. Evaluation of the Present Situation The Middle Fork River is a part of the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. The wild river corridor offers a variety of land-based dispersed-nonmotorized activities including premier whitewater rafting, hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and horseback riding. The major trail access into the river corridor is provided by the Middle Fork trail, beginning at the Boundary Creek launch site. This trail follows the mainstem to Impassible Canyon, where trail access ends. There are a number of trails that extend from the uplands into the river corridor. Trail use is by foot and horse. Whitewater boating is by far the predominant use from April through September, with six-day trips the norm. The Middle Fork is world renowned in the boating community and origin of visitors reflects an international flavor. Fishing and hunting are the predominant uses in October and November. The substantial size of the Wilderness and the rugged terrain of the river corridor provide high- quality primitive and semi primitive recreation opportunities. Due to its remote location and ruggedness, overall recreation use other than floating is low. The river corridor offers the recreationists solitude, particularly outside the high-use summer float season. It also offers spring hiking and backpacking before the higher elevations open. This early-season use is increasing in popularity. Most of the non-floating users come from local communities (Salmon, Challis, Boise). The floating users come from all over the United States. Finding The Middle Fork River is recognized for providing recreation users the opportunity for solitude in a scenically diverse river setting. It first and foremost provides possibly the premier whitewater rafting experience in the United States. It further provides for early season hiking and backpacking, and fall hunting. Most of the floating use is from a Nation-wide audience. Recreation is an outstandingly remarkable value. D-4 APPENDIX D – WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ASSESSMENT OF OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES GEOLOGY Criteria for Outstandingly Remarkable Value The river or the area within the river corridor contains one or more example of a geologic feature, process, or phenomenon that is rare, unusual, or unique to the region of comparison. The feature(s) may be in an unusually active stage of development, represent a "textbook" example and/or represent a unique or rare combination of geologic features (erosional, volcanic, glacial or other geologic structures). Evaluation of the Present Situation The Middle Fork River is primarily a moderate gradient river with interspersed rapids. Rock exposures are extensive due to the generally arid climate. The drainage lies within the eastern and northern portions of the Idaho Batholith Province of Central Idaho. The Idaho Batholith Province is comprised primarily of the Idaho batholith, which was intruded into what is now central Idaho approximately 80 to 100 million years ago. The province also includes much older rocks that were intruded by the batholith, younger intrusive rocks, and much more recent erosional deposits. The older rocks consist of quartzite’s of the Yellowjacket Formation and their metamorphosed equivalents. These rocks are approximately 1.5 million years old. The younger intrusive rocks consist primarily of the Casto pluton granite and associated dikes and surface volcanic flows. These rocks are approximately 50 million years old. Recent geologic features include stream terraces and rock falls from various time periods. As can be imagined from the foregoing, a trip through this canyon is truly a rare “trip through time”—1.5 million years ago to the present.